Posted on Wed, Jun. 10, 2009

OAKLAND -- Their seven-game win streak ended Tuesday night. But unlike the last time they allowed the opposition to score in double-digits, the A's these days can at least say they're within shouting distance of first place in the American League West.

A's starter Brett Anderson got roughed up for four earned runs in the sixth inning and his teammates had little answer for right-hander Scott Baker, who allowed just two hits in eight innings to help the Minnesota Twins earn a 10-5 win before a season-low announced crowd of 10,127 at the Oakland Coliseum.

First baseman Justin Morneau hit his 16th home run of the season and designated hitter Jason Kubel hit his eighth as Minnesota earned just its eighth road win of 2009.

The A's scored all five of their runs in the ninth, as they sent 10 batters to the plate before Rajai Davis struck out swinging with the bases loaded on a Joe Nathan fastball. Nathan was the Twins' fourth pitcher of the inning.

The A's remained 6½ games back of the AL West-leading Texas Rangers, which lost 9-0 to Toronto on Tuesday. That's a far cry from where Oakland was on May 30, when a 14-1 loss to the Rangers left it 11 games back.

June has typically been a month when the A's, even in their down years, have been able to put things together. Oakland has not had a losing record in June since 2001, and was a combined 31-23 in the month the last two years. During the streak, the A's scored 42 runs and allowed just 11.

Now it's a matter of whether the A's can sustain the offense and solid starting pitching that had led to eight wins in nine games before Tuesday.

After hosting the Twins today and Thursday, Oakland plays at San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego in nine straight interleague games.